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Letters Patent No. 74,168, dated February/'4, 1:868.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONGERN: n* i Be it known that I, JOHN B. STONER, ofthe city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new andirnproved Life-Saving?r Apparatus; and I dc'hcreby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled. in the art to make and use the same, reference being`had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective 'view of my improved apparatus as applied in practical use.

Figure 2 is a detail sectional view of the same, taken through the line a: x, tig. 1.

Figure 3 is a detail view, showing the manner in which the 'propelling-device is attached.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the ballasting weight or shoe.

Figure 5 is a. detail sectional View of the same, taken through the line y y, g.'4.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

My invention has for its object to furnish an improved apparatus, by means of which persons, when compelledto commit themselves to the water, in case of accident on steamboat or shipboard, may sustain themselves for days, or until they are rescued or reach a place of safety; and it consists in the manner in which the rubber `suit is secured to the wearer', the whole being constructed and arranged as hereinafter more fully described.

A is a rubber suit, made in one piece, the lower parts or feet being made thicker than the other parts, and in the same manner that rubber shoes are now made. The suit A is made large enough to be put on over the ordinary clothing of the wearer, his shoes only being removed. The only openings in the suit A are atithe upper end or head and at the wrists, for the exposure of the face and hands of the wearer. The openings at the wrists are provided with elastic cuffs or bands a,`mad e in a piece with the suit, to connethe edges of the openings closely around the wrists of the wearer to prevent the entrance of water. To the 'under side of thc edge of that part of the upper or top opening that comes upon the top of the wearers head, is secured an elastic baud, B, which I prefer to make tubular in form, and which passes under thechn of the wearer, beneath the chin-flap C. To the inner edge of theunder side of the upper opening is attached an open`elastic band, D, which I prefer to make in the: form shown i-n iig. 2, that is to say, formed by connecting two elastic tubes lungi. tudinally with an elastic membrane, so as to leave a space or channel between the two tubular edges of said band.V The band D is'bucklcd over the head of the wearer, and is prevented from slipping forward by an auxiliary band, E, attached to it, and which passes around the back of the'head ofthe wearer, as shown Vin fig.

'2.1 The elastic'tubular band B is then sprung into place beneath the chin of the wearer, passing also beneath the chin-Hap C in such a way as to lie in the space or channel between the tubular edges of the elastic band D, as shown in figs. 1 and 2. The slack of theupper opening is gathered into a roll, and placed in the hollow between the jaws and neck of the wearer, as shown in fig. 1, where it is confined and secured by a strap, F,

secured in proper position to the outer side of the suit, and which is buckled around the neck of the wearer. The flap G'projects forward, beneath the chin of the wearer, and is intendedto protect his mouth and nose from the splash of the water.

The upper or top opening of the suitA must made so large that the wearer cau conveniently' insert his` body through it. The-suit A is secured to the body of the wearer by a strap, G, secured to the rear part of the suit, and buckled around his body. The suit is still further supported by straps or Suspenders H, secured to the lower part of the body of said suit, and passing over the shoulders of the'wearer, as shown in fig. 1. is a cork vestor jacket, made by sewing two pieces of canvas, or other suitable material, together,` in such a way that when stuffed with pulverized cork,- orcther suitable material, it may be smooth or at upon the inside, and corrugated upon the outside, as shown in fig. l. The vest or jacket I is worn beneath the rubber suit A, is buckled around the waist of the wearer, and is prevented from slipping downlby shoulder-straps, J, passing over the shoulders of the wearer, as shown in fig. l. When not in use, the v'est I can be folded into a very sniall bulk. K are metal. shoes or weights', fitting upon* the feet, the greater part of the weight (about five pounds) being collected upon the instep. The shoes K are made in two parts, hinged to each other at the heel for convenience in putting them en,- andsecured to each other by a strap `or straps, k', buckled around the said shoes, and around the feet ofthe wearer. The forward parts of the shoes or weights are kept from slipping or Working upon each other by one or more dovrei-pins or projections formed upon the edge of the one part, and entering holes or cavities in the other part. Theshoes K should he lined or padded. upon their inner sides and edges, Ito prevent them from ehang the wearer, and they should 'be galvanized or wholly covered with rubber to prevent the corrosive action of the water.

M is the propelling or swimming-device, in which m1 is a bar or handle, to be grasped in the hand of the wearer, and tothe ends of which are attached the wire bars m2.y ma is a wire framework, hinged or pivoted to the bars m2, as shown in fig. 1. The entireframiework, m2 m3, is covered with rubber, as shown in the drawings. When the hand, with the device M attached to it, is moved through the water .in one direction, the wings fold down, so as to encounter less resistance from the water; but when. moved through the water in the other direction, the Wings expand into a horizontal position, beyond which they are prevented from passing by the straps m4 and m5.' The strap m4 passes beneath the handorfwrist, and its ends are attached to the out'er'edges yof' the Wings. mG is a strap, the middle part of which iseattached to the under side of theupper end of the middle part of the device M, andavhichhuckles around the arm of the wearer, to secure the upper part of said device tothe arm.. The outer ends ofthe straps m5 are attached to the outer edges ofthe upper parts ofthe wings, andtheir inner ends are secured to the strap' m, near the point at which it is buckled. Or, if desired, the straps m5 may bemade in one piece passing beneath the artn, and having its ends secured to the outer edges of the said wingsh L is a cord or strap, attached to the upper part of the device M, and tothe sleeve of the suitvA, sothat 'the said device, when detached freni the hand, and allowed to float upon the water, cannot Hoa-t away and be lost.

I. claim as new, and desire to ,secure by Letters Patent* 1. lThe chin-protector C, constructed and applied as herein shown and described.

2. The combination ofthe open elastic band D, formed of'v two elastic tubes connected longitudinally by an elastic xnembrane, the outer elastic tube, B, auxiliary band E, andthe upper part of the suit A, asvherein described, for the purpose specified. l

JOHN B. STONER.

`Witnesses:

WM.r F. MCNAMARA, JAMES T. GRAHAM. 

